A Curse to Kill
by BlackBrightField2007
Summary: She was ill, but no one knew about this other than her family. He was falling for Inoue; her heart crushed. Could she make for another day in her life when the man she loves, never acknowledge her more than a friend? IchiRuki. AU
1. No one left

**A/N: T**his story is originally belong to a Naruto fanfic writter, Gensomaden-Saiyuki, for Neji/Tenten pairing. I fell in love with the story and had asked the author to do a Bleach version of it. The first chapter is very similar to her work but for later chapters, I had given it my own personal twist but still have some of the original work. Thank you for reading, and if any of you like Neji/Tenten pairig, please do go visit Gensomaden-Saiyuki page for some awesome Naruto fics. Thanks.

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**A Curse To Kill**

Kuchiki Rukia shut her eyes and held to her brother shirt tightly as a bomb exploded in one of the coaches. It was deafening sound. Half minute later, Kuchiki Rukia opened her eyes. She was in her brother's arms and both of them were hiding between a couple of seats.

"Nii-sama, where is mom and dad? Why there is a bomb?" the three year old asked. Byakuya tried not to look scared in front of his sister. He gave Rukia several pats on her back. "They'll come. Don't worry; everything is going to be alright" he said and really hoped that what he just said will come true.

A second bomb blew and made the raven haired toddler shouted. Byakuya tried his best to keep Rukia and himself calm in the chaos. He pated Rukia's back several time while looking around him, trying to find their parents. The fifteen year old boy spotted a couple ran towards them. He quickly got on his feet; taking Rukia together.

"Mommy! Daddy!" the toddler shouted and trying desperately to go to them but Byakuya had his arns firmed around his sister.

The man turned around and got into a fighting position while his wife went to their kids. The woman, with the same eyes with Rukia, quickly hugged both her children. "Bya-kun, we can't go to Soul Society today. This train had been attacked by Hollows. I'm sorry. You both had to go back to the Kuchiki Mansion, together. No matter what happen, you must protect your sister. Here, take these documents and give them to Uncle Takumi" the woman said to her kids.

"I want to go with mommy. Let go of me! I want mommy!" Rukia trying to get lose from her brother's grip. Kuchiki Ayumi took her daughter into her arms. She kissed the girl's face and cheek several times. Rukia held on her mother's shirt tightly. She didn't want to let her go since was very scare.

"No Rukia. You must be a good girl. Stay with Nii-sama okay? Bya-kun, take your sister and run away from here. Make sure that she's save. Take care of yourself and your sister. You both are the only heir of Kuchiki clan. We really love you both and I'm sorry" said their mother as she gave Rukia back to Byakuya and gave them several kisses.

Byakuya held his sister more tightly as she trying to get lose from his grip. The teenage boy went to his father. "Bya-kun, take these pendants" Kuchiki Hikaru took two lockets from his trouser pocket and handed them to his son. Kuchiki Hikaru kissed his son's and daughter's face. "Go now! Save yourself. I love both of you" he shouted.

Byakuya ran to the nearest exit with the strugling Rukia in his arms. When Byakuya was a couple hundred meters away from the train, a big explosion erupted with pieces of glass and iron flew everywhere. The train was burnt in a huge red fire.

"Mom! Dad!" Rukia startled from her nightmare. She panted several times. She had those nightmares since twelve years ago when both of her parents were killed. It wasn't just a nightmare. It was real. The Hollows had attacked the train where the Kuchiki family were in. They had bombed the train and killed both Kuchiki Ayumi and Hikaru.

Rukia's bedroom door was opened by her big brother. Slowly Kuchiki Byakuya walked towards his sister and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Are you okay? Did you got those nightmares again?" Byakuya asked his sister. Even though he had turned cold after his parents were killed, he still cared about his little sister. No matter what, he will kept his promise. He had promised both his late parents to take care of Rukia. She was more important than his own life.

Rukia nodded. She still couldn't get rid the nightmare. It always hunted her every time she closed her eyes.

Byakuya patted Rukia's back just like twelve years ago. "Go back to sleep. Tomorrow is the first day of school remember? I don't want you to be at school with those tired eyes…" Byakuya said. Rukia nodded again and laid back on the bed.

Byakuya went out from the room after he satisfied that Rukia was asleep and will not get another nightmare.

* * *

"Bye Nii-sama!" Rukia said as she jumped out from his brother car. Then she ran towards the school main building. Just before she reached the main door, she had bumped to a tall male with very bright orange hair.

"What the hell?" was said by Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Hi, strawberry!"

"I'm not strawberry and that's not the way to say sorry to whom you had just bumped" replied Ichigo with his usual frown.

"What's with the sour face? It's first day of school. C'mon, cheer up!" Rukia tried to make her male friend to cheer up a bit.

"It's that Ishida. He was boasting up about his girlfriend, saying how proud he is to have Inoue as his girli. He even said that nobody wants me bcoz I was always frowning and my weird hair colour. Damnit!" he said. Both of them were walking to their class.

"He was right about the two things; your frown and hair. But cheer up, strawberry! There are plenty girls in this school. For example, Arisawa or Matsumoto or Miu…" Rukia pointed to the girls who was talking to each other.

"Hell no! I, for some reasons, liked Inoue. She's my friend since I was a boy. But how could she felt in love with that Ishida? And now, Ishida kept irritating me!" Ichigo said with his frown deepening.

Rukia felt hurt. Her heart crushed. They were friends as long as she could remember and became much more closer after he had saved her from an accident. After all these years, Rukia had started to 'like' Ichigo more than a friend.

"Don't worry! You'll have a girlfriend someday" Rukia said with a force smile on her face.

Ichigo sighed. "Please don't tell this to anyone. You're my friend and please keep this as a secret. Promise?" Ichigo held out his pinkie for a promise. Rukia got her small finger slipped into his. "I promise" said her. Suddenly, a student jumped into both of them.

"What do we have here? Holding…pinkies? Did you made promise to get marry?" Asano Keigo asked.

"Hell no. Go away Keigo!" Ichigo took his finger away from Rukia's. Keigo gave a grin. "Ichigo, can you give Kuchiki to me? Please?" Keigo said before he received a punch from Ichigo which had sent him all the way across the hall way.

"C'mon. Let's go or we're going to be late for Mrs. Ishikawa's class" Rukia pulled Ichigo's wrist and walked to the class.


	2. Illness

A/N: Not proof read yet. Enjoy!

A Curse to Kill 2

The pure white porcelain sink was stained with bright red liquid. Blood. The liquid of life was trickling down from the corner of her lips as she went into another coughing fit. She tried to stop the precious liquid from trickling down but it was hopeless. She knew it was hopeless yet sometimes she wished this was only a bad dream. However it was too real. She had to endure the same thing every single night ever since she was three and it was getting worse.

Her body was getting the toll from the illness she had. She hadn't receive the proper treatment albeit the Kuchiki was one of the richest. Her brother could more than afford the best and latest high-tech treatment available. However, the prefect donor had yet to surface. The Kuchiki had once found the best donor but when they were attacked by a group of Hollows, they couldn't carry on with their plans. The attacked also killed Kuchiki Ayumi and Hikaru, the parents of Kuchiki Byakuya and Kuchiki Rukia.

Kuchiki Rukia sighed as she looked at her reflection. She wasn't like any other girls in her school. Her skin was pale due to lack of sunlight it received. She couldn't spend too much time in the sun or she will blackout in just a matter of minutes. Most of her time was killed by studying and reading endless amount of mangas or spent it with a certain orange haired boy, Kurosaki Ichigo. He was the reason she kept a positive attitude. He might be scary looking but as time passed, Rukia knew he was very soft inside.

Rukia splashed her face with cold water. She glanced at her reflection again before stepped out of the bathroom. Another tired, eventful day had passed and right now, all she wanted was a peaceful sleep. She took in a lungful of air as she crashed her tiny body on her bed. It was very comfortable just to lie on that bed especially when the bed cover was Chappy the Rabbit.

Before the young Kuchiki could indulge herself with the comfort of the soft and fluffy pillows, there was a firm knock on the door. Just a knock and the sound seemed like magnefied when her eardrums picked it up. It was nii-sama, she knew it just from that one knock. Nii-sama was the only person in that big house that knocked her door that way.

Lazily, she forced her body to get out of the bed and dragged herself towards the door. She twisted the golden colour knob and pulled the door opened. Sure enough, her one and only nii-sama was standing before the door with a tray of medicines in his hands. Rukia moved aside and let her brother in.

Kuchiki Byakuya was putting down the tray when Rukia came trotting beside him.

"Do you have another new meds?" Rukia eyed at a blue colour bottle in the rows of medicines.

"Yes. I just got this from Urahara and it's not a medicine. It is just some sort of vitamin to keep you energetic all day. Urahara said, you may even spent some time outside. You don't have to be inside when everyone is enjoying the sun," Byakuya explained to her. He knew how much she loved outdoors activities since she was little. But as she grew up, the illness became more severe and the doctors had advised her to stay inside as much as possible.

"So right now I have almost ten kinds of pills, huh?"

"Yes, and you have to take every single one of them every day. And I have to prepare them for you in case you forgot... Or you know the consequences," Byakuya handed Rukia the small saucer that contained all of her pills.

"Yeah I know, that Hisana-nee will kill you," Rukia grinned at her brother in mentioning her personal doctor which also happened to be her brother's fiancé. Yup, she had a personal doctor. Urahara was another ingenius doctor that had a vast knowledge about her illness and he made her daily supplements. Then, there was another doctor, Unohana-sensei, the Kuchiki family's doctor. Hisana-sensei was under her command and she had assigned to watch over Rukia since she worked with the Kuchiki. All of them worked together to find the cure for this young lady.

Kuchiki Byakuya gave her a small smile, one that he kept especially for that sister of his. Yes, he did know how to smile even with his extremely cold demeanor. However, the smiles were reserved for the two most important females in his life, Kuchiki Rukia and her doctor, Kuroda Hisana. Only these two people had ever seen his smiling after what happened to the Kuchiki family.

"Nii-sama, water please," Rukia voice brought Byakuya back to reality. The tall man quickly poured some water into a glass and handed it to his sister.

Rukia accepted the water and drank her pills in one big gulp. She muttered a 'thank you' at Byakuya. The big brother nodded as he cleaned everything on the tray.

"So how are you first day at high school today?" Byakuya asked.

"Hhmm... It was okay, I guess?" Well, truthfully, it wasn't that okay if you considered about Ichigo's confession about Inoue to her. It was heartbroken for her and since Ichigo declared his heart was for that orange haired woman in the morning, the rest of the day for Rukia hadn't been so great. Her mind was filled with that painful thought all day long.

"Are you sure? It looks like you have quite a bad day, sister..." Byakuya muttered. He knew there was something bothering her but he couldn't say what it was.

Rukia shook her head with a small smile plastered on her face.

"It was okay and everything was great, Nii-sama. Just another tired day at school. Nothing much happened anyway," Rukia yawned right after she finished her sentences.

Once again, the cold Kuchiki produced a small smile for his little sister. He ruffled her raven locks.

"Now get some sleep. You have another long day tomorrow. We have an appointment with Urahara for health, with Unohana for you monthly check up, and with..," Byakuya didn't have the time to complete his sentences when Rukia interrupted.

"With Hisana-nee for your weekly dates!" Rukia teased him with a wide big grin on her face.

"Yes and to take your belongings back that you left at her house last week," stated Byakuya. He was grateful that Rukia could accept Hisana in her life. He had never fell in love with anybody because he afraid that his one and only sister didn't like it. However, the second he said that he loved her personal doctor and would like to marry her, Rukia squealed in delight. She even congratulated him and asked the wedding dates. Since that day, Rukia and Hisana became more inseparable. Hisana was a motherly kind of person and Rukia who had lost her mother when she was so young, seek for that kind of love from Hisana. Lucikly her personal doctor didn't have any objection whatsoever. They will become one happy family, right?

"So are going to bring her somewhere fancy for your romantic date tomorrow? If you are, then I think I better step aside. I don't want to interfere with people's dates especially with 'The Coldest Person in the World's' dates," Rukia laughed at her remarks on her brother.

Byakuya only grinned at her. He ruffled her raven lock again, making her annoyed with his action.

"Nii-sama!"

"Have a good night sleep, Rukia," he replied as he stepped out of her soft pink bedroom.

"Nii-sama?"

Byakuya turned back towards his sister. She was standing in the threshold. There was something that she wanted to ask him, he read from her expression. He looked into her violet eyes. "Yes?"

"You wouldn't leave me, no matter what happen, right?"

That question startled him. Why would she think of that?

"Of course not Rukia. You are my one and only sister. Why would I do that? In fact, I made a promise that I'll protect you, remember?" Rukia nodded.

"Now, get to bed. Whatever happens, call me. Good night."

Rukia nodded. "Nii-sama, I love you," she muttered, loud enough for his ears. Then, she closed the door.

Byakuya watched as her figures disappeared behind the wooden door. He sighed, unintentionally, thinking about Rukia sudden question. Something was really bothering her and he really hoped whatever it was, it would not let her will to live disappear. She still had a long way to go and Byakuya didn't want her to give up with her life just yet.

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**A/N**: Finally! The second chapter after a loooooong two years. Don't worry, this story is back online. Frequent update is not promised but I'll try. =D Review please~


	3. Happiness and Tragedy

A/N: OMG! It has been two years since my last update! Sorry for the delay. I already wrote this chapter about a year ago but being a foundation student was killing me and my time. I just got the time to type it up. Don't worry. Updates will be frequent from now on (fingers cross)! Enjoy!

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**A Curse to Kill 3**

Rukia sat on one of the wooden benches outside a restaurant. She just had a great dinner with her beloved brother and his future wife. It was suppoed to be their date; her brother and Hisana-nee only, but when she invited her to go with them, Byakuya-nii-sama had dragged Rukia out from her room and threw her into his car. Rukia, of course, had been reluctant to follow her brother. It was his date! He was supposed to be all alone and together with Hisana. However, this was Kuchiki Byakuya we were talking about; a brother whom loved and care for her sister all too much.

Rukia looked up to the sky. It was a clear and beautiful night. The stars were shining brightly in the dark sky with wind blowing mildly, bringing cool air to caress her pale skin. The young Kuchiki took a deep breath of the cool air. It felt good, no, it felt great in her body. It had been quite sometimes since she felt like this. Calm, at ease and felt like she had all the time in the world. She kept enjoying the night sky all by herself outside the restaurant.

Suddenly, a hand tapped on her shoulder. Rukia quickly turned and was faced with her future sister-in-law. Kuroda Hisana, her doctor looked stunningly beautiful in her simple blue hue blouse and her dark long skirt. Simple and yet beautiful.

"What are you doing out here in the cold?" she asked. Her tone was motherly and she was the closest person Rukia ever got to a mother.

"Nothing nee-san. Just to get some air and enjoy the view. Where's nii-sama?"

"He's inside, paying the bills."

"Oh" Rukia said before looking back to the sky. Silence engulfed both of them.

" Hey Hisana-nee...," Rukia called. The doctor turned to her. "What if the person you loves, such as nii-san, only thought you as a friend?"

Hisana was taken aback from Rukia's question. The young Kuchiki never asked her that kind of questions. Hisana looked at the patient before gave a small laugh.

"Did you 'like' someone? from your school perhaps?" Hisana blurted out and Rukia's face quickly turned to erubescent. She didn't answer.

"What if nii-sama was like that and he loved someone else?" Rukia repeated.

Hisana exhaled deeply and took Rukia's small hand and hold it tight.

"Truthfully, I don't know... but if he was happy with that 'someone else', I'm willing to let him go. His happiness comes first... And just being friend with him is okay..." Hisana gave a squeezed on Rukia's hand.

The young Kuchiki smiled sadly.

"Rukia... Someday you'll find someone who loves and cares for you. Don't worry, alright. It's not good for your health either.:

Rukia nodded.

"Is this 'bout the Kurosaki boy?" Hisana asked knowingly. She knew Kurosaki Ichigo, Rukia's bestfriend since they were in preschool.

Rukia took sometimes before nodded.

"I like him for sometimes already. He's a very good friend. He makes me feel special and life worth living, despite having this disease. But... he loves this other girl in our school. She's beautiful, very womanly and everything that I am not."

Hisana caressed Rukia's cheek. "You are beautiful as you are... Trust me on that," she tucked away a stray hair behind her future sister in-law's ear.

"Nee-san... there's a letter for you and nii-sama in my room. If anything whatsoever happened to me, you give the letter to nii-sama. Please? I want him to know that I love him so much and you too."

Hisana's eyes went wide; shocked.

"Rukia, don't say things like that. You're going to be alright. Unohana-san, Urahara-san and I are doing our best to make you better."

Rukia grinned, trying to lighten up the sudden sullen mood. "Just for precaution nee-san. But don't worry, I feel much better already!"

"Good. Just forget about him. Let's enjoy the night. Byakuya-san is bringing us for some ice-cream that you like near Karakura Lake," Hisana saw Rukia's midnight blue eyes grew wide with the happiness. Ice-cream. That strawberry ice cream near that lake was the best in the whole world.

"Great! Oh, there's nii-sama!" Rukia pointed to the entrance of the restaurant.

Byakuya walked out with his dark trench coat that made him looked very handsome with his pale skin. Almost all the female waitresses in the restaurant had loves shaped eyes when Byakuya exited. The aforementioned man made his way to the two women that he loved dearly.

He gave Hisana a quick kiss and ruffled Rukia's hair.

"What are you two talking about?" He asked with a smile adorned his face, making him looked much more handsome by hundred fold.

"It's a secret and it's for women only," Rukia gave her brother a big smile. "Let's go and get some ice cream, please!"

* * *

"Thank you!" Rukia blurted when the ice-cream vendor handed her a strawberry sundae completed with a few spoonful of fresh strawberry cuts.

Byakuya got himself a coffee flavoured ice cream while Hisana chose pistachio flavoured. The older Kuchiki paid for all three ice creams. He took his fiancées free hand and they walked hand-in-hand together.

Rukia looked at the couple. She was happy seeing her brother finally found someone who can make him smile. Hisana-nee was the best candidate for Byakuya-nii's spouse. She was everything that Byakuya nii-sama's need. She was the only female Rukia ever know that could make her big brother smile so big.

The young Kuchiki smiled as Hisana-nee produced her soft pink handkerchief and wiped an ice-cream stain on the corner of Byakuya's lips. He then gave her a brisk kiss on her lips which made the young doctor to turn as red as tomato. Both of them were such a great and cute couple. Oh, how she wished that she could be on there on their wedding day. She wanted to be there when her only family member got married. However, somewhere inside her told Rukia something else. Well, if she couldn't be there, at least she was still alive to see her brother being happy with Hisana-nee.

She took a spoon of her strawberry sundae ice cream. The cold semi solid liquid filled every single receptors in her mouth with strawberry flavour. Yum! She took another and enjoyed the ice cream. Suddenly, she felt a sharp sting in her chest. Rukia gripped her clothe, trying to reduce the pain. However, the pain didn't subdue, instead it increased rapidly and she quickly went into a coughing fit. The coughing worsen by the second. She lost her grip on her favourite ice cream. The plastic cup hit the pavement and the pink colour dessert spilled.

"RUKIA!" she heard her brother with Hisana-nee's voice calling for her as her knees unbuckled and hit the cold pavement. She saw them came running towards her. Her vision began to blur after another pain shot throughout her body. Her head felt like splitting into two. She tried to open her eyes, just trying to stay awake just a little while longer. It took her a lot of her energy to have her eyes stayed open. Her brother was furiously punching the numbers on his cell phone and then barking to the other side of the phone.

"Rukia, you are going to be alright. Stay with me, dear. Everything is going to be okay..." Hisana tried to keep her patient calm. She caressed Rukia's chest, trying to suppress her cough.

"Nii-sama..." Rukia called and the brother quickly went kneeling beside her.

He took her hands kissed them several times.

"It's alright Rukia. I'm here. Don't worry. I already called an ambulance. Don't worry!"

"Nii-sama... I..." Rukia coughed; this time blood spewed out, staining her dress and Byakuya's shirt. "I wish... I could..." she coughed again, "go to your..." coughed "and Hisana's wedding." She coughed more and the bright red liquid filled her entire mouth cavity.

"Rukia, you'll be there, with us! You are going to be fine!" Her brother said.

Beads of perspiration already covered his forehead and the cold Kuchiki had lost all of his composure completely. Right now, he wasn't the same Kuchiki Byakuya that other people knew. He was a brother that was worrying sick about his young sister.

Hisana-nee was already in her 'doctor-mode'. She tried to ignore the fact that the girl dying in front of her was her future family member; a girl that she loved like a sister she never had, a happy-go-lucky girl who loved strawberry flavoured ice cream and everything that got Chappy the Rabbit theme on it. Kuroda Hisana looked at Rukia; now laying on her laps. Her pale hands were still in her brother's. Rukia was shaking as she tried to squeeze every single drop of energy left in her delicate body.

"Hisana-nee..." Rukia freed one of her hands from Byakuya's grip and took Hisana's.

"Take care of... nii-sama for me..." Rukia coughed again and more blood spewed out.

"Rukia... we love you. You're going to be alright. The ambulance is on the way, dear," Hisana tried to fight back her tears. She couldn't cry now. She had to be strong.

"I love you both..." Kuchiki Rukia muttered those words with the remaining energy she had left. Then, she closed her eyes. She didn't have anymore energy to keep her eyes open.

"RUKIAA!" was the last thing she heard. The voice of the brother and Hisana-nee's calling her name with the siren of an ambulance somewhere in a distance.

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**Don't forget to review~ =D**


	4. The Rumor

**A Curse to Kill**

Ichigo threw his mechanical pencil in frustration. The writing instrument bounced off his an inch thick textbook before fell on the floor. The orange-haired male grunted, his scowl deepened as he bent down to pick up the pencil. He was in a vey bad mood tonight. Heck,he had been feeling irritated for the past few week; starting with Ishida boasting about his girlfriend and the rumor of Ichigo liked Inoue had somehow leaked. Not a good way to start the week.

**Flashback**

The morning seemed nice with the sun shinning brightly, bringing just enough warmth in this cold morning. His mood was fairly good today but his frown was still present though. Kurosaki Ichigo slung his bag on his shoulder as he enetered the school compound.

Something was wrong, he thought. Everyone was looking at him differently, not in a good way sort of different. They gave him a dirty look, as if he did something very bad. Some of them tried to avoid him. Ichigo glared at a bunch of juniors and they quickly scrambled away. The orange haired male eyebrows knitted tighter together. His ears caught the words murmured by the students of Karakura High and those words made his blood boiled.

"That's him... the guy that loves his own bestfriend's girl."

"Are you serious? Who the hell he think he is? There are a lot of other girls in this school!"

"I heard he wanted to steal his friend's girl."

"That guy? I never thought he would be such a damn playboy."

"I thought he's with that Kuchiki?"

"Him? Hell no! I don't think he'll ever like her. He just used her to get with Inoue-san. She's her bestfriend."

"No wonder... He's just like those assholes out there. Taking advantages on other people."

Those were the conversations of the students of Karakura High School.

Damn it! How could these people know about this? He never told anyone other than...

"Rukia!" He shouted as the small figure girl came into view.

Rukia turned her attention from her group of friends. Upon seeing Ichigo, Rukia bid her friends goodbye and went to him.

"Mornin' strawberry!" she greeted him gleefully.

Her sweet smile caused his blood to boil twice as hot. She acted as if nothing had happened. Damn her.

Ichigo grabbed her wrist and dragged the clueless Kuchiki into an empty class.

"Whoa Ichigo. What's wrong?"

"Shut up Rukia!" He growled. His tone shocked and wounded her a little. But she managed to hid it.

"What the hell are you thinking? Gossiping about my feeling for Inoue with your friends? It's supposed to be a secret. I already made myself CRYSTAL CLEAR, KUCHIKI! I don't want every single person in this school to know that I like Inoue What the hell Kuchiki! Why are you being so STUPID? Thanks to you and your untrustworthy mouth, my life here's ruined. Thank you so MUCH! I really appreciate it!" Ichigo blew off his steam to her.

Rukia's midnight blue eyes grew wider for every words spoken.

"I haven't said anything Ichigo. I still keep our promise." the young Kuchiki defend herself.

"Haha Kuchiki. Stop being so innocent! If it wasn't you, who else can spread that stupid news? You are the only one who know 'bout it because I thought I can thrust you. Sadly, I am very wrong! You're just some bitch who loves to destroy my life!"

"Ichigo... Please, calm down," Rukia put her hand on his shoulder.

Ichigo swatted her hand. "You're not stable right now... Something must be bothering you right?" Rukia tried to coax him.

"Yes. Something's definitely bothering me. YOU! Get out of my sight! I cannot trust you nor can I be your friend anymore. This is the end of our friendship," His eyebrows were almost joined together and his usual warm brown eyes were filled with hatred that Rukia never saw before.

"Ichigo... I swear that I never told your secret to anyone. I wish there's something I could do to prove it you, Ichigo."

"Stop trying to make me sympathise you. It won't work!"

Rukia was speechless for a moment. His hatred to her was beyond words.

"You're my bestfriend Ichigo. Trust me," Rukia tried again to calm him down.

"Get the hell OUT OF MY SIGHT!" he was finally lost it. He didn't even realise how much he had hurt her feeling. All he cared right now was his own.

"Ichigo I never broke our promise... You're my bestfriend... " with that Rukia stormed out of the classroom, tears cascading down her eyes.

As soon as she was out of his sight, Ichigo punched the wall. "Damn!" he cursed under his breath.

* * *

It was the last time Ichigo ever saw Rukia. She didn't came to any of her classes that day, or the next. Rukia had been absent to school for almost a fortnight already and no one knew where she had gone. Even Abarai Renji, her cousin, didn't know. Rukia had suddenly disappeared.

Ichigo sighed as he flipped through his math homework. The problems seemed almost impossible to solve. He shut the book close and headed for bed.

A moment before he fell asleep, something suddenly stirred inside him, making him feeling very uneasy.

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A/N: How was it? Please drop some reviews! The last chapter's reviews were awesome~! Thanks alot guys!


	5. A Curse to Kill

**A Curse to Kill  
**

Byakuya's gaze bored through the ceiling-to-floor glass wall. His sight settled on a person laying in the bed, in the midst of tubes and wires. Her skin was paler than usual. Rukia had been in a coma since that night, which was almost fortnight already. Byakuya felt his heart tightened. It really hurt him to see the only living family that he had left, laying there, breathing with the help of a machine just to stay alive for another hour. Byakuya inhaled a lungful of sterile air. He tried to gain back the composure he had lost.

"Byakuya-kun..." A hand touched his broad shoulder.

Kuchiki Byakuya turned and faced with two doctors that in-charged of Rukia, Unohana-sensei and Urahara-sensei.

"How's she?" he asked even though he already knew the answer. He just wanted some reassuring words from her, at least that would put his heart at ease.

Unohana-sensei took Byakuya's hands. He and Rukia were almost like her own children. She'd watched them grew up from babies she had welcomed to see the world. How the time flew so quickly. Both of them were already old enough to take care of themselves.

She gave him a light squeeze.

"Her condition has worsen dramatically, Byakuya-kun. Her internal organs, especially her liver, are in a very bad condition. Without the help of those machines and life support, I don't think Rukia can last much longer," Unohana-sensei explained.

"Kuchiki-san, her illness has taken its toll after all these years. Right now, there's nothing else that we could do."

Unohana-sensei shifted her hand to his shoulder. The young man in front of her looked so worn out. She was also worried about him.

"Isn't there anything else we can do? I've got money, loads of it, to provide her the best medical treatment in the world. There's must be at least something or someone that can treat her!" Byakuya averted his sight to his sister, still comatose in her bed.

Both doctors sighed. They looked at each other and by some sort of understanding between them, they knew it was the time. They had to tell Kuchiki Byakuya the truth about his sister. A truth that might shatter his remaining hope for Rukia.

"Byakuya-kun..." Unohana called him.

He turned to her.

She inhaled deeply. "The truth is, Rukia's illness isn't curable, medically speaking."

With those words came out of the doctor's mouth, Byakuya's expression changed. Shock.

"What do you mean, Unohana-sensei?"

"She was poisoned, Kuchiki-san, by an Arrancar," Urahana answered.

"WHAT?"

**Twelve years back**

The three-year old Rukia grabbed her Chappy the Rabbit stuff animal and crept outside her house. It was still early in the morning and her parents were asleep. Her brother was away, camping with his school mates. A perfect chance to get out of the house without being caught.

A smile formed on her face as she skipped to the garden. The morning dew and the morning air were cold to her skin but she ignored it. She wanted to pick some beautiful, colourful flowers and gave them to mummy.

"Hey Chappy, look at these... They're pretty," Rukia picked a lavender from its pot and took a deep breath of it.

She took a few more stalks of lavender and proceeded to another section of the garden where her mother had planted various colour of roses.

Rukia was totally immersed in her own world and didn't notice that someone was watching her from behind. An Arrancar.

The white-faced man with bright orange eyes smirked. The only daughter of the Kuchiki's family, all alone outside and unprotected. Such an easy target. He withdrew his katana and mumbled few words to the steel before jumped out from his hiding place.

In less than a second, the sharp steel was already on Rukia's neck. His other hand was covering her mouth

"Rukia-chaan... not a sound okay?"

He felt the kid began to stiffen.

"Don't worry. This going to be very short and painless," he was ready to apply pressure to the blade.

BANG! Red liquid sprayed on his face. However, it wasn't Rukia's; it was his own.

The pain came on his shoulder. It felt like someone had lit a fire on his shoulder and there was a big gash there.

"Let my daughter go, Fisher!" boomed a voice that belonged to Kuchiki Hikaru.

Grand Fisher turned.

Kuchiki Hikaru was standing on the porch with a smoking gun aiming at him. Fisher clicked his tongue. A smirk had formed on his face. Who would have thought that his prime target had came out so quickly? Fisher laughed maniacally. So his target had shot him. The pain didn't bother him any longer, in fact he was loving it.

"Or what Kuchiki? Aren't you afraid that I'll hurt your precious baby girl here?" Fisher uncovered Rukia's mouth and grabbed her pyjama. He dangled her in front of him, using her as a protection.

"Try shoot me again Kuchiki! Let's see whether your aiming is as good as your kendo!" Fisher began to press the katana on Rukia's neck. A thin red line appeared and blood began trickling on the blade.

Rukia cried. "Daaaaaaddddddyyyyy!"

"OOhhhhh... I just hurt you baby girl!" he mocked.

Kuchiki Hikaru managed to remain calm and compose. He took a deep breath and without any hesitation, he aimed and squeezed the trigger of his gun. Four times.

One of the bullets hit Fisher's arm that was holding Rukia. The other three found their ways to his stomach and legs. His grip on Rukia's shirt loosen as his knees buckled.

"Damn you KUCHIKI!" with a swift and fast movement, he landed his katana into the child's side, an attack that Hikaru wasn't prepare for.

"Daaadddddyyyy!" she wailed. Tears already streaming down her face. Blood already dyed her pyjama to a deep red hue.

"RUKIAA!" Hikaru shouted as he ran towards his daughter and the assailant.

"Die you damn bitch!" Fisher jammed the sword deeper.

More blood spurted out like a broken pipe. Fisher ripped the katana out and with the remaining energy, he quickly disappeared from Kuchiki's compound, just a moment before Hikaru reached them both.

Hikaru carefully picked up his daughter. He torn his shirt and used it as a bandage to stop blood from spilling out.

"Damn you Fisher!"

Rain started to fall as everyone inside the mansion began to fill the ground.

* * *

"The sword had cut through her liver and narrowly missed her main blood vessels. The blade almost touched her heart also. It missed by a mere half a centimeter. But the real problem was the blade, Byakuya-kun."

"Fisher had the blade doused with poison. It should've killed her in a matter of days but your father had Soul Society's Gotei 13 to help her. Rukia managed to survive all these years thanks to the research we have made. But the medicines we produced only extend her life on daily basis. The poison is still inside her body. In order to extract it, we need a high amount of reiatsu but even if everyone in Gotei 13 combined their reiatsu, it's still not enough to remove the poison. Not to mention that it will be very dangerous for every single person that involve in the process..." Urahara explained.

"What kind of poison is that?" was all Byakuya could manage.

"It's known as 'Curse to Kill.'" Unohana-sensei stated.

* * *

**A/N**: Sorry for the late update. Thanks for reading and please don't forget to review! Oh, thanks for the awesome reviews. You guys are awesome!


	6. Truth

**A Curse to Kill**

"Arisawa-san?"

"Yes!"

"Asano-san?"

"Present!"

Ichigo looked around him. Hands shot up into the air as Ochi-sensei called their respective names. An everyday ritual that they did before the first class started.

"Kojima-san!"

"Here!" Mizuiro put up his hand and Ochi-sensei nodded as she put a tick beside his name.

"Kuchiki-san?" Ochi-sensei looked over her clipboard.

There was no respond. Ichigo's gaze, instinctively, went to her place just a few seats next to his right. Empty, just like it had been for the past three weeks.

"Kuchiki-san is absent again?" she mumbled to herself.

The rest of the class began murmuring with each other. All of them were talking about the missing classmate. No one knew why she had just suddenly vanished.

Kuchiki Rukia wasn't a troublesome girl. In fact, she was one of the hardworking students, always early to class and finished her school work on time. Even when she wasn't feeling well, she was always there at her place, behind the desk, with her favourite Chappy the Rabbit pen, doodling on her notebook. But now, three weeks had gone by, none of them saw her. Her closest girlfriends did go by to her house, however no one was home.

Ichigo absentmindedly heave a huge sigh. He knew that he was responsible of her missing, part of it. He realised that that he had gone overboard, shouting and blaming her like some crazy bastard. He was too furious and couldn't control it. The embarrassment he felt had cloaked his better judgment. Now, she was gone without no one knew where.

'Damn you, Rukia. Tried to make me feel more guilty huh?' the thought came into his mind. He couldn't help but to think that Rukia wanted him to be guilty, or maybe symphatised her by going missing. If he saw her...

"Kurosaki Ichigo!" Ochi-sensei's voice filled the entire class and it shattered Ichigo's thought.

"Yes?" he answered and felt everyone's eyes were glued to him.

"Day dreaming, Kurosaki-san? Or were you think about your absent girlfriend?" The teacher teased.

Her gaze was also boring into him with a big grin on her face.

Ichigo grunted. He hated when people started to matchmaking him, especially with a certain Kuchiki Rukia, when she destroyed his high school life.

Ochi-sensei took another five minutes to complete the class attendance report. Everyone was present except for Kuchiki Rukia. The young, energetic teacher distributed the week's assignment paper to her students. Some already started groaning and complaining while others kept quite as they read the work.

"Quiet down class! Read these instructions carefully. This week, we are going to do a research before submitting the proposal of your project to me." She began her explanation. Some students were still complaining, mumbling to themselves about this tedious work. Ochi-sensei continued to describe that week's work and put her students in a three-persons group, which made some students very unhappy. Kurosaki Ichigo being one them.

"Kurosaki, you'll be with Abarai-san and Kuchiki-san, when she comes back," Ochi-sensei announced.

Ichigo almost bang his head against his desk. Nice, Ochi-sensei, nice one, he protested silently. Ichigo not only had the most irritating guy in the class with him, he also got that damn bitch. He could already feel his blood temperature rising as he going to spent the next half month with them.

* * *

"Welcome back, Onii-chan!" Yuzu greeted as Ichigo stepped inside the Kurosaki's household.

His young sister had adorned an apron and was preparing their dinner while Karin, her twin sister, was helping her with the table.

Ichigo's scary features quickly washed away and was replaced with a smile.

"What are you making?" He peeked over the steaming pot of dark brown thick liquid.

"Curry. Oh, can you help me and send dad's dinner?"

"Yeah sure. After I shower okay?"

"Okay. Thanks onii-chan," Yuzu exclaimed as her brother's figure disappeared on the stairwell.

Kurosaki Ichigo tossed his bag on his desk and emptied his trouser pocket. He laid down on his bed, trying to ease out the fatigue after almost ten hours spent ransacking his brain at school. He had at least half an hour more beore Yuzu finished making dinner and prepared their dad's boxed dinner. His mind began to wonder as he closed his eyes. He thought about things that had happened for the past weeks.

The damn gossip had, luckily and thankfully, ceased away from the mouths of Karakura High School. However, it had took quite an impact on Ichigo. Inoue had became awkward with him and Ishida barely talk to him. His childhood best friend, Arisawa Tatsuki was giving him a cold shoulder. The Karate champion almost put a roundhouse kick on his stomach if her boyfriend hadn't interfere.

Ichigo's eyes shot opened when his phone rang. He quickly grabbed it and checked the caller ID. Speaking of the devil. He thumbed his phone open.

"What?" he barked.

"Tch Ichigo. A hello would be nice," Renji scoffed.

"What do you want Renji?" Ichigo ignored his comment.

"I was just thinking about the assignment. Can we discuss about it tonight? Tomorrow I've karate practice all day and kendo at night."

Ichigo thought for half a minute before agreeing.

"Meet me at Karakura library in two hours. I need to meet my dad first at the hospital and we can do research later."

"Alright, see you there then."

Ichigo grunted as a reply and shut his phone. He threw the phone on his desk and grabbed his towel before moving to the bathroom.

An hour later, Ichigo already at the hospital with Isshin's dinner in hand. He made his way to his dad's office. He knocked and waited for the answer from nside.

"Enter!" Ichigo heard his father answered. He twisted the knob and entered.

Kurosaki Isshin was sitting behind his desk, burying himself in stacks of documents around his desk. As Ichigo stepped closer to his father, he noticed that Isshin was having his fullest attention on a particular document folder. The brown paper folder was filled with at least three inches thick of papers scribbled with chicken scratch writing.

"Mou... stop working your ass off, pop. You need some rest too, y'know," Ichigo mumbled as he placed Isshin's dinner on his desk. He took a seat across his father.

Isshin grinned as he put put his pen and folder away. "I will have the rest that I need, but this patient of mine, she doesn't much time if I didn't find something to help her."

"Whatever. Yuzu made curry for dinner."

"NICE! I'll need to get this report to Urahara-sensei first. Then, we'll eat," Isshin quickly burst out of his seat, taking a folder from the stack and ran out of his office.

Ichigo shook his head. His dad was a sucker for Yuzu's curry. Ichigo took the documents in front and put them on a hospital bed, beside the desk. Then, he opened the containers and placed them neatly on the desk. As he did that, his eyes caught the thick folder that Isshin was working with on the floor. It must have fallen when Isshin jumped out of his chair.

The young Kurosaki bent down and grabbed it. Suddenly, his movements stopped right away. Even with the messy handwriting on the face of the folder, he still could make out the hiragana words. He couldn't believe himself as his brain deciphered those strokes into a name that he knew. Kuchiki Rukia.

Impossible. The first thing that entered his mind. Ichigo pulled the folder closer to his face, squinted his eyes to get a better reading of the handwritting. The result was still the same. He was looking on Rukia's medical documents. He flipped it opened. The first page was filled with personal details. Ichigo read it. It was confirmed that he had Rukia's file in his hand. The data printout was definitely belonged to Rukia. Her full name, address, next of kin and other informations.

Ichigo's eyes fell on the reports beside Rukia's personal informations. Even though the writings were far much more worst than Keigo's, Ichigo understood some of it but he refused to acknowledge it. He turned the pages and read some more until he finished almost half of it. Impossible. The reports in front of him stated that Rukia had been ill for years and the medications barely help her.

"LET'S EAT~!" Isshin shouted as he ran through the threshold, banging the door against the wall. He skipped to the desk but his steps halted when he saw his son standing like a statue with a folder in his hand.

"Son?"

Ichigo looked up. "Why didn't you tell me she's sick?"

Isshin sighed as he stepped closer to his son. He knew that Ichigo was going to blow if he knew about this. His son and that Kuchiki had been friends as long as he could remember. They were practically inseparable since both of them had suffered of losing a closed family member. Rukia lost hers in that train bombing that shook the whole world and Ichigo lost his mother in an accident trying to save him.

"She refused to tell it to anyone other that her brother and us, her doctors. She didn't want to worry anyone," Isshin put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder. He took the folder away from his son. "Let's go pay her a visit," Isshin muttered.

Ichigo nodded, the only response he could make. His mind was cluttered with the bad news about his best friend.

* * *

"I'll be in my office," Isshin gave his son few pats on the back and left him there.

Ichigo stood there and as his gaze fell on that sleeping figure, he felt something inside him broke. Guilt filled his heart in seconds. He had cursed her, wishing that she could just disappear from the face of the earth, never to let him see her again. But right now, seeing her comatose and as pale as the bed sheet beneath her, he just couldn't bare the thought of losing her.

"Rukia..." he called.

He should have known about her illness. He should have noticed something. All these years spent together, they were so close together. He should have!

Ichigo tore his eyes away from her pale face. He couldn't bare to see his bestfriend laying there, with her life extended to every second by a life support machine residing beside her. He could see various monitors on the machine that indicated her heartbeat, brainwave and breathing waves. At least he knew that she was still alive.

He walked across her room and sat on a one of the two rows of chairs. "Why?" he mumbled to himself, half expecting that the occupant of the ICU in front of him would open her eyes, sit up straight, give him her innocent smile and say that everything was onlu a bad dream. But he knew better. This was reality. His best friend, that he had cursed and ignored for the last three weeks, was fighting over her life.

If only he gave her the attention she needed.

He stayed there, just staring of her. His mind went blank the moment the saw her medical reports. The only thing in his mind was her. All he wanted was for her to be alright and this was just a nightmare.

* * *

**A/N**: Thanks for reading! And please review! =D


	7. Realisation

**A Curse to Kill**

Renji glaced at his watch. Ten minutes to nine in the evening and his friend was late. Thirty minutes behind schedule. Renji sighed as he fished out his cellphone. He redialed the last number in the phone log. Half a minute past, but the person on the other line didn't pick up, just like the last dozen times.

He jammed his phone back into his jacket pocket. Then, the young man picked up his books and put them into his bag. Renji exited the cold library with bag hanging on a shoulder and black earphones stuck in both of his ears; he made his way to Karakura Hospital, just a few blocks away.

Abarai Renji reached the hospital lobby just after fifteen minutes of walking in the clear and slightly windy night. The hospital was still buzzing with activities with children crying, telephones ringing and machines beeping around him. Renji quickly walked to a bank of lifts at the end of the lobby. There were less people and staffs than at the lobby as those lifts went to another wing where doctors had their offices. He pushed a button in the lift and waited for the doors to slide close. He knew that Ichigo would probably be at his dad's office and luckily for Renji, he remembered where it was. The carrot top friend of his had brought him there once.

Kurosaki Isshin was coming out of his office, busily munching and writing in his notebook, when Renji finally got there.

"Kurosaki-san!" the red haired teenager called as he tugged the earphones out and shoved it into his jacket.

Isshin's legs stopped on their tracks as he looked up from his notebook. A big goofy smile crept on his face as his brain recognised the person in front of him. "Yo Abarai-kun!"

"Is Ichigo here? We were supposed to meet at the library but he never showed. We've research to - " Renji's words came into a griding halt when he saw the look on Isshin's face. "Is something wrong, Kurosaki-san?"

Isshin replied with only a small sad smile. He was going to break the same bad news to another person closed to Rukia and he didn't feel like he has another heart to do it. However, he knew he had too. Renji deserved to know.

"Ichigo's not here. But follow me Abarai-kun," and Isshin started walking before explaining anything.

Confused and curious with the words of the early forties Kurosaki in front of him, Renji followed him.

"I don't know whether to tell you 'bout his or not, but you are family member to the Kuchiki, am I right?

Renji nodded in confirmation. His mouth was shut tight as he listened carefully to every words that came out from the doctor's mouth.

"Abarai... Rukia is ill," and Kurosaki Isshin began telling his story. It took him ten minutes and with their slow paces, they finally reached the floor where Rukia was fighting for her dear life.

"Why didn't she tell me this? Even Byakuya-sama never told me anything!"

Isshin patted the young man's shoulder.

"They may have their own personal reasons, Abarai-kun. I'm only telling you this as the family's friends, not as her doctor, and also, I think you have enough reiatsu to help her. But, it can endanger your life."

"I'll help her, Kurosaki-san. But I've to speak with Byakuya-sama about this matter." He took a deep breath. Then, something clicked into his mind.

"Does Ichigo know about any of this?"

Once again, Isshin gave Renji another sad smile.

"There he is," Isshin pointed to a row of chairs where a carrot-top teenage sat, looking dismal and worn out. "He has been there since the last couple of hours. Talk to him, will you Abarai-kun?"

"I'll try sir... Thanks."

Isshin left right after that, giving those two friends some time alone.

Renji's eyes scrutinized Ichigo from where he stood. He had never saw his friend in that state, sulking. He could feel as if a big, thick grey cloud of sorrow hanging in the air above Ichigo. The last time he saw Ichigo being as close as this was when his mother died. Fortunately, back then, Ichigo had Rukia to help him through.

"I was freezing almost to death at that freaking cold library for one hour and waiting for you, and here you are, spacing out!" Renji grumbled, trying to brighten the mood a little, as he took a seat next to Ichigo.

Kurosaki Ichigo startled. Renji's voice had disturbed the eerie silence of the ICU. Ichigo grunted without bothering to look or start any conversation with him.

Renji sat beside his friend, quiet. His mind was racing to understand the news about his cousin's health. He had came to visit both Byakuya and Rukia almost every fortnight but none of them had opened up about this. They didn't even throw any clue about Rukia's health. He and Byakuya-sama was kind of close as Renji looked up at him but Byakuya didn't tell him anything. Rukia probably had her brother sown to hide about her condition but it didn't seem fair to Renji for her friends.

"My dad told me that she was sick for a long time, Renji," Ichigo finally broke the silence.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"I never know Ichigo. Your dad's the one that broke the news to me, when I met him just now. Rukia's not the kind of person that goes around, telling everyone about herself, demanding for pity and stuff. You know her," Renji said in a matter-of-factly tone.

The last three words shredded Ichigo's heart. If only he knew her, like Reji thought, she wouldn't be there in that bed with tubes and wires snaked around her body.

"It's all my fault." Ichigo whispered to himself but it was loud enough in the pin-drop silence of the ICU hallway to reach Renji's eardrums.

"Don't blame yourself, idiot. None of us know about this. She can be very secretive and stubborn when she wants to."

Silence once again engulfed the conversation, leaving the sound of the centralised air conditioner pumping out cold sterile air and the beeping of various machines. As long as those machines continued to bleep constantly, with the same frequency, Ichigo knew Rukia was okay, albeit being in a state where no one sure whether she would wake up or not.

Renji observed his friend. He'd known Ichigo almost as long as Rukia did. Their friendship didn't start on right foot, instead it started with the meeting of their right fists on each other's body in a brawl at the playground.

Back then, Renji was a bully and his victims were always his cousin, Rukia, and some other young boys. Ichigo had saw this once, when Renji picking on on Rukia, and he had asked Renji rather nicely to stop it. Renji, or course, didn't and continued to bully the young Kuchiki. A very bad move as it annoyed Ichigo very much. It caused Renji to earn a great, body-doubling punch to his gut. Renji reaction to this was a weak punch to Ichigo.

Before they got into a more serious hand-to-hand combat, a few adults came running to them; parents for both Abarai Renji and Kurosaki Ichigo. Their parents had forced them to shake hand as peace offering and reluctantly, they did so, with the deepest frown on their faces. This of course didn't make Renji like Ichigo or the other way around, but since their parents were very close friends, they met quite regularly and this had somehow given them a strong friendship for a long time even though they sort of hate each other guts.

Suddenly, Renji's chuckled. Ichigo gave him a look, as if this guy wasn't aware that they were in a serious condition with Rukia battling for her life.

"What the hell Renji?"

Renji couldn't help himself from laughing. "Haven't you notice it?"

"Notice what?" Ichigo barked, trying to stifle his anger.

Renji tsked and shaking his head at the same time.

"You can be very dumb when you want, huh?"

Ichigo fumed and grabbed a hold of Renji's shirt.

"What is it Renji? Stop beating around the bush and tell me already!"

The red haired still smile. "So, it's very wrong and untrue."

"What?" Ichigo's orange eyebrow arched up.

"Idiot. The rumour. At our school? It's proven that it was a wrong. Somebody must have made up those stories about you and Inoue." Renji explained.

The hold on Renji's shirt loosen. "What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

The question almost made Renji smacked his hand across his friend's head.

"Look at the way you reacting right now. You are worried and very devastated. You haven't been yourself since Rukia absent from from school and now, with her inside that room, you blamed everything on yourself. You ignored everything around you and I saw that in your eyes, that you wished that this is only a nightmare. Am I correct?"

"What are getting at?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo... you are fucking in love with my dear cousin. Not the friend's love, but you are head over heels for Rukia. Admit it." Renji pulled his shirt from Ichigo's hand. A smug grin adorned his face as he took his seat. There, if Ichigo hadn't realised it yet, Renji would definitely needed something hard, like his five inches Science book in his bag, to hit Ichigo's head with.

The words hanging in the air as Ichigo tried to digest them. He, in love with Rukia? A moment later, the statement finally settled in his brain and heart. Yeah. Renji was right. He, Kurosaki Ichigo, was beyond any doubts in love with Kuchiki Rukia.

For the first time that night, a smile crept on his face. He loved Kuchiki Rukia.

* * *

A/N: Wow 2 chapters in a week! Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! Love you guys~


	8. Treatment

**A Curse to Kill 8**

"Like I stated before, the only option to save Kuchiki Rukia-san at the moment, is by extracting the poison using high amount of reiatsu. I'm talking about the twice amount to the Gotei 13's captains' reiatsu worth, which we could only have by involving every single person in Soul Society. It will be very risky for everyone. The risk can only be reduced if the treatment compromised with the least people possible." Urahara-sensei finished his explanation and shut the thick case file in front of him. His eyes wandered to the faces in the meeting room. All four of them looked haggard and worried but Byakuya was the worst. The cool and always composed man that Urahara-sensei had known was gone because of his only family member. He knew that the 6th captain of Gotei 13 was having a hard time to decide on his sister's only option to save her. Rukia would never ever agree to it. From all these years he had known his patient, Rukia never took advantage on other people. She was a sweet, happy little girl that always had a smile on her face albeit she was in pain. The doctor in-charged sighed. It would be very hard to look for a single people that possessed that tremendous amount of reiatsu.

The fair haired doctor's words were like a noose around Byakuya's neck. Every single word, tighten it and that very last word, it choked him. Being one of the Gotei 13 respected captains, Byakuya could force everyone in his division to give their reiatsus to Rukia, but then she would hate him to death if he did.

Byakuya rested his face in his hands; something that he never done because it was considered something that people with high standard should not do. He didn't care about it right now. To hell those customs and traditions of the Kuchiki Family. All he cared was the option to recover the health of his dying little sister. Reiatsu. A special power that some possessed since birth. These certain type of humans silently protects the people from Aizen's force. They lived together, had a normal job, and even had a family like himself, Urahara-sensei and Unohana-san.

"The rate of successful, how sure are you about it?" Byakuya asked.

"Almost ninety percent, Byakuya-kun."

"If we didn't do it?"

"Rukia would probably have only a month or two at the most. We have to do this operation because it's the only way to save her... We also need an organ donor for her liver. It's barely able to withstand the poison any longer." Unohana-sensei looked at Byakuya. He was once a happy and carefree child, running around the Kuchiki mansion. Today, he was her colleague in Gotei 13; the captain of 6th Division. How time flew.

"This treatment, why now? Why not administer it years back?" Hisana-san cut in.

Urahara took a deep breath and looked to a man sitting beside him. "I'll have Kurosaki-sensei explained that. He's my colleague and he had done extensive researches on Aizen's work."

Isshin nodded. "There was an antidote for the poison actually from Soul Society. It was made by one of the captains. Before he could give the antidote to Kuchiki Hikaru-san, he was killed by Aizen's people. The antidote was lost and none of us knew the exact ingredients or the chemical make-up of it. I had been working with Urahara-san and his division had tried to replicate it but it was a failure. It wasn't until half a year back when we stumbled upon with this new treatment. We had done some experiments with it and finally, we sort of perfected it. It was a success but at the same time, it was kinda dangerous. It took a lot of reiatsu and energy to extract that poison," he explained.

Byakuya sighed.

"I guess, there's no other choice than to accept this option. Just make sure that we don't force anyone to aid this treatment and they know the risk of it."

"Alright. Then, we will start to assemble whoever willing to give their reiatsu. Let's hope that there is enough reiatsu for Rukia-san." Urahara said and the rest of the people in the meeting room nodded.

"I want to involve in this, Urahara-sensei, Unohana-sensei," said the raven-haired man.

"Of course, Byakuya-kun. In fact, the whole Gotei 13 captains already agreed. Even Kurosaki-san, too.

Byakuya's deep, cold black eyes widened. "Why wasn't I notify about this?" He had knew nothing about this new information. How come the other ten captains, excluding these two doctors-slash-captains, in front of him already agreed to a treatment that he had known existed only a week ago?

"Your father, Kuchiki Hikaru-san, had asked to keep Rukia's condition a secret. He didn't want you to worry about her. You love her so much that Hikaru-san afraid you might blamed yourself for what had happened to your sister. But, you have the very right to know Byakuya kun. That's why we had to tell you the truth about Rukia's illness. The captains had received a very strict order from the captain commander, Yamamoto-sama, not to mention anything to you. When Kurosaki-san and Urahara-san's had found this alternate treatment, we had discussed it with Yamamoto-sama and he agreed to let you know," said Unohana-sensei. Then she added, "If there's any changes on Rukia-chan, I will update you personally, Byakuya-kun."

Byakuya nodded at his family's doctor. He had just agreed to a treatment that endanger everyone involved. Sure as hell that she would kill him if anything happened to those kind hearted people that are willing to put their life on the line to save her.

"I guess there's nothing else to discuss right now. Kuchiki-san, I will have Unohana-sensei to inform you when we are ready to execute the treatment." Urahara stood up and everyone followed.

"Okay. Thank you," Byakuya bowed slightly.

"See you later, Kuchiki-san," and with that, Urahara exited the meeting room, with a thick file in his hand.

"Get some rest Byakuya-kun. You're going to get sick if you didn't take care of your self... and it will effect your reiatsu supply."

"I'll try," he answered absent-mindedly. His mind was elsewhere, thinking about his sister mostly.

"Hisana-sensei, take care of him for me, alright?" Unohana gave her subordinate a knowing smile.

"Y-Y-yes Unohana-sensei!" Hisana's face began to turn to beet colour.

"I'll be in my office for the rest of the day. Have a nice day both of you."

Hisana turned to the man beside her. She knew that her fiancé was very worried about his sister. She could see how much he loved her just by his actions; one of the reasons to fall for him. He would do anything to protect her, even if it meant defying the family customs and such.

"Byakuya," she called. She took his hand into hers and intertwined her fingers with his.

The said man turned to her as he tightened the grip of her fingers. She was his source of life right now. The only person that he could lean on. Someone that he could share his secrets with. Someone that he showed his true self to.

"Let's go and see Rukia," she tugged his hand.

Kuchiki Byakuya looked at her. There was a small, almost sad, smile on her face. Rukia's current condition was torturing her too.

"Come..." he lead them both out from the meeting room and walked together to Rukia's room.

The thought of him spending time with Renji free from having a verbal fight erupted in the matter of minutes, was nearly impossible to happen. But things had changes. Now here they were, sitting quietly and without thinking of killing each other in their minds. Both Ichigo and Renji had been coming to the hospital as soon as they finished school. Of course, they used their 'quality time' together to discuss their assignment and at the same time, observing, praying for Rukia. Renji hadn't met Byakuya yet to tell him about his wish to help his sick cousin.

Ichigo envied Renji. That chicken headed guy could help Rukia since he was born with reiatsu. He, on the other hand, was a son of a couple of normal people. His father was only a doctor and his mother was a housewife. No way he had any reiatsu in him. Ichigo sighed. He wished he could help her, in any way he can. He was the reason she laying there. If only he had noticed something. They were best friends, as long as he could remember. Rukia had been a part of his life, or maybe more than that. She was his life. The reason he had a smile on his face after Kurosaki Masaki died.

An elbow jabbed his ribs. Ichigo glared at the villain. Renji's face was serious as he pointed to a direction.

"Byakuya-sama's here." He stated.

Both youths jumped into their feet as a couple of figures emerged through the automatic glass door.

"Abarai. Kurosaki." Byakuya muttered, acknowledging them, but didn't bother to continue socialising. Instead, he walked towards Rukia's ward. He stood there, in front of the permanent glass wall that separated him from his sick sister.

Hisana acted more civilised and shook hands with the youngsters. She knew both of them fairly well. Renji was a family and Rukia had been talking about Ichigo quite frequently. She had seen both of them a few times and knew that they could never stand each other company. It felt weird to see them together here. Rukia had brought these cat and dog to a good term.

"How are you both?"

"Fine, thanks..." Renji answered and Ichigo decided to agree with his friend.

"Urm... Kuroda-san, I need to talk with Byakuya-sama about Rukia. Nice seeing you."

"Sure Renji... Nice seeing you too."

Both Ichigo and Hisana's eyes followed the red haired man.

Hisana turned her attention back to the guy in front of her and scrutinised him. His state was almost like Byakuya. He seemed tired and worry filled his face. The impact of Rukia's condition was clearly shown. He was a wreck. Hisana suppressed her smile. She got the impression that Rukia's feeling for the carrot-top wasn't one sided.

"Kurosaki-san," she called him.

Ichigo turned to her. "Yes?"

"Rukia'd given me something to pass to you. A letter to be exact," she produced a stark white envelope from her white coat.

He stared at the piece of paper in her hand. His name was stencilled in the middle of it with Rukia's neat handwriting. "What is it about?"

"I tend not to read other people's letter without their permission, Kurosaki-san. This is a private matter between you and Rukia."

His hand was shaky as he took the letter from Hisana. Rukia couldn't possibly was writing him a goodbye letter, right? She had to live, no matter what. She should survive this! He would make sure she did.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the late reply and those grammar mistakes. I wrote this in a rush. This will be the last chapter for sometimes because I will be leaving for Indonesia tomorrow morning to continue my studies. Until I settle down there, and have some free time, this story will be in hiatus. Sorry!  
Don't forget to review!


	9. Goodbye Ichigo

**A/N**: This is a really, I mean seriously, really short chapter but please enjoy!

* * *

**A Curse to Kill 9**

Three days had passed since Hisana passed him the letter. Three days also it had been carefully placed inside his notebook. The letter was still  
perfectly straight; no creases or smudges at all. Ichigo had left it alone. He was afraid to open and read the content.

What if... no! Rukia couldn't possibly send him a goodbye letter, right? She couldn't have just given up. The Rukia he knew would fight for her life. She loved her life!

Or did he really know her? They had spent their life together and yet, he never knew that she was seriously ill.

Ichigo stared at the letter. His name was stenciled with that neat handwriting. As much as he didn't want to see the content, his heart ached to know whatever Rukia had written for him.

He took the stark white envelope and tore the flap open. He pulled out a folded paper and instantly recognised it came from the Chappy the Rabbit notebook that he had given her for her birthday last month. He took a deep breath, braved himself and unfolded it. Then, he let his eyesight settled on the words.

'Ichigo,

I am sorry if this letter disturbed you. Don't worry. This is the one and only letter you will get from me.

I just want to apologize for everything that had happened. I never told a single soul about your secret. Not even to Chappy. I don't know how the news broke but trust me, I'd never spoken a word about it. I am sorry if I ever done anything that hurt your feeling. I'm sorry for everything that I had done.

Thank you for being my bestfriend all these years. I treasured our friendship so much. Thank you and goodbye Kurosaki Ichigo.

Rukia.'

He felt his throat tightened and pain crawled up his chest.

'RUKIA!' His heart screamed.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry guys for late updating this beloved story of mine. I've been very busy. Today is the second month and 4th days I am here in Indonesia as a student. Who knew that being a Medicine student will be this hard? I'm currently going through my midterm exam and just finished the important paper this morning. For further chapter, I can't promise it to be sometime around, but I'll try.

Please review! That will definitely make my day!


	10. Reiatsu

**A Curse to Kill 10**

Renji swept the perspiration across his head with the back of his palm. His breathing rate had increased as his energy oozed out each and every second passed. All these years, he'd never done anything that required a lot of energy and also hundred and ten of his attention. For the sake of a friend, he'd managed to struggle this far and he knew that he barely had anymore reiatsu left in his beat-up body. Just a little more, he told himself.

"Abarai, focus." Byakuya commanded.

"Yes sir!" he replied to the man beside him.

Abarai Renji's eyes wandered to Rukia's body. She was placed dead center and people like him were sitting on the perimeter with a huge green hue light formed a canopy on her. He knew most of them. They were part of Soul Society members; his colleagues and bosses in the job.

As he completed his observation, he knew that most of them were depleted in reiatsu and energy. They had been on this treatment to extract that poison inside Kuchiki Rukia's body for four hours. The newbies in Soul Society had long fainted with exhaustion while those who were like Renji were panting. They tried not to show but Renji knew. It didn't matter how strong you were, you'll eventually drain from these two sources of energy. Even those captains were already started to show signs of tiredness.

His felt his whole body going numb as he struggled to release the reiatsu in his body. He ignored it; Rukia's health was the priority now not his battered body. She needed every bits and pieces of reiatsu that they could give her. Her health condition was fully depended on them.

He knew that it was impossible to fully extract the poison in Rukia with their reiatsu. They didn't have enough not even with the help of the sou-taichou. They still need a lot of that spiritual power.

Renji started to see stars around him. 'Damn it,' he cursed internally. His body was giving up even though his heart and brain tried to stay strong.

"Abarai-kun, you okay?"

The aforementioned man turned to his other side. Kurosaki Isshin was sitting there with his arms extended forward. He also giving out his reiatsu; a magnificent amount of it. Renji never knew that Kurosaki was one of the Soul Society strongest families. Ichigo didn't have even a speck of reiatsu in him and ever since Renji knew the Kurosaki, he never felt the presence of that spirit energy in any of the family member. Apparently, Kurosaki Isshin was really good in concealing his power.

"Y-yeah…" Renji muttered a reply. God, even that took a lot of energy.

"If you couldn't stand it, go and rest first. Then you can come back to do this again."

"No sir. I can continue this. Rukia needs our help."

"Renji, don't do this. If anything happened to you, there's nothing good that would do to Rukia."

"But sir, I-"

"Go and rest, Abarai. We'll handle it," Urahara cut him.

"Alright sir," and that instant, he stopped the reiatsu flow from his body. He got onto his feet, they wobbled, but he managed to stand up straight.

"Abarai, remember. Don't tell Ichigo about me," Isshin said just before the red haired teenager walked away.

"Yes sir."

* * *

For the past few hours, he was pacing around the waiting hall. If the floor was covered with a carpet, it would have worn out ages ago. He was worried as hell. Rukia was being treated in the room across the door; a place where he wasn't allowed to be. He wasn't a doctor nor had reiatsu to help her. He was only a useless best friend. Could he even be regard as her best friend after all he had done to her for the past two weeks?

His head shot upward when he heard the door opened. Renji emerged, looking worn out and pale.

"How is she?" the words shot out from his mouth.

Renji looked at him dazedly before he slumped on one of the chairs in the waiting area.

"Nothing's changed. We still don't have enough reiatsu for her. "

"Damnit!" Ichigo punched the wall.

* * *

Twelve hours since the moment Kuchiki Byakuya and most Soul Society captains started to give out their reiatsu, they finally stopped. Both of their energy and reiatsu were fully used. There wasn't much of a change on Rukia's condition. She was still in a coma but some colours had come back to her face. She didn't look as pale as she was before.

Kuchiki Byakuya stroked the face of his sister. After all of the efforts from almost half of the Soul Society, she was still sick. He felt useless. Their parents would be disappointed with him. He was supposed to take care of her, let her have a good life and yet, she was already in the verge of death when her age was only fifteen.

"Rukia stay strong. There are a lot of people in this world still love you, I love you dear sister. Don't give up. You already made a promise to Hisana that you would come to our wedding and be her bridesmaid, remember? Don't give up. Stay strong," he whispered. He gave her a long, loving kiss on her forehead. "Don't give up!"

Hisana came to his side and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Byakuya, come. You need to rest. I will take care of her."

"Thanks Hisana. Take care of her. If anything changes, notify me immediately!" He turned to her.

"Don't worry. I will." She took both of his hands into hers.

"Thank you," he bent down a bit and kissed her.

Hisana startled but in a fraction of a second, she responded to it. It was very rare for him to show his affection in front of people let alone in a room where all other captains of Soul Society were present.

Byakuya could see a big pink tint across her face as they broke up the kiss.

"Rest okay? I'll check on Rukia."

"Okay."

* * *

"Her breathing rate has increased and also her blood pressure. The poison is still in her body; about seventy percent. Apparently, our reiatsu isn't enough to even half of it out of her body. It's too strong. We need a stronger reiatsu," Urahara-sensei noted as the nurses transferred Rukia to her new ward.

"But if we involved the whole Soul Society, it's going to be very dangerous for them. Rukia-san wouldn't want that." Unohana-sensei replied.

"Isshin…" the white-haired man called.

"Yeah?"

"You suppressed Ichigo-kun's reiatsu right?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo has reiatsu?" the startled long haired doctor demanded.

"Yes he has and it's greater than mine, almost as great as Genryuu-ji's..."

* * *

**A/N**:... And yeah I updated! xD Don't forget to review! =D


	11. Asano Keigo

**A Cuse to Kill 11**

The three doctors sat in Isshin's office. Unohana-sensei was baffled to know that the solution for Rukia's illness already in front of her all these years. She knew that Kurosaki Isshin had reiatsu but she never realized Ichigo's. The boy's power was concealed perfectly, even she couldn't detect it; not even a tiny bit of it.

"Yes. His reiatsu is too powerful and uncontrollable at that time," Isshin explained.

"Does he know that his family belongs to the Soul Society and if I still remembered them correctly, one of the best?" Urahara asked as he toyed with his favourite white wooden fan. The white-haired doctor's eyes bored into the face of Kurosaki Isshin from behind the handicraft,

"He doesn't, actually. He only knew me being a medical doctor, that works his ass off everyday and I might add, have missed a lot of family dinner time."

"You also, do know and remember that we need a lot of reiatsu to save Kuchiki-san right? You also knew that our powers alone aren't enough and to involve every single people in Soul Society will produce negative effects to everyone."

"Of course I still remember it, Kisuke. I haven't got Alzheimer's yet... It's just that, his reiatsu is very huge. It almost killed him when he was younger. That's the only reason I had to conceal his power. If Kuchiki Hikaru weren't there, I would've probably lost my son."

"... But don't you think Ichigo-san would want to save his best friend?" Unohana questioned.

"Of course he would... It's just that... If I unleashed his reiatsu, it would endanger not only himself but everyone around him. His reiatsu is too powerful."

"And it can save Rukia-san's life..." Urahara Kisuke muttered.

* * *

A month, that long he had been away from her. He wasn't by her side for one whole month; the longest time they weren't with each other present during their whole friendship. To think about it, they rarely spent a week away from one another, before that cursed day came. Up until now, Ichigo never stopped blaming himself for blowing up on Rukia.

He sat by her bed. He took her hand. It was cold and pale against his. He stroked a few strands of her raven hair. As he did so, he realized how much he missed to see those midnight blue eyes. The eyes that were always filled with life, affection for everyone and everything. He remembered that those dark orbs that brought smiles to his face everyday since his mom died.

"Hey Rukia, why didn't you tell me? I thought I was your best friend. Remember we promised each other that we would never keep secrets from each other."

Ichigo brought her hand to his lips and put a long kiss on it.

"I will save you Rukia. I'll make sure of it… Until then, please stay strong."

"And I love you Kuchiki Rukia." He whispered to her.

Ichigo stepped out from her ward and quickly was met with a fidgeting Keigo. The news of Rukia's illness was already known by the entire school and most of her bestfriends had come for a visit.

"H-he-hey I-c-Ichigo." The brown haired teenager nervously rubbed his neck, definitely very uncomfortable.

"What is it?"

"We-ll… I… there's urm-something I need to tell you."

Ichigo's eyebrow rose and his face muscles contorted to confusion. "What? Spill it out."

"Urm… About the rumor- I- urm… I-m the… well, I-I."

"Just blurt it out Keigo!"

"I told the school about your feeling for Inoue-san!"

The second those words entered his brain and deciphered, Ichigo felt his inner temperature increase. His blood boiled beyond the limit.

"WHAT THE HELL!? How did you know!?" Ichigo growled.

This person in front of him was the reason he broke Rukia's heart and their friendship. Just because of his loud mouth and tiny puny brain, Rukia had to suffer.

"I'm sorry! I overheard you talking to Kuchiki-san the other day and I thought that it would make a great joke. I mean… it's not something serious or anything. You just have a feeling for your classmate. That's all."

Ichigo grabbed Keigo's t-shirt and pulled the poor guy. He was squirming but Ichigo ignored it.

"A joke? You think it's a joke? Haven't you seen what happened to me when you told the whole school about that fucking 'joke'?!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything like it! I'll make it up to you!"

"Damn it Keigo. Do you think it's easy for that type of rumor to left everyone's mind? Now the whole school think I'm in love with Inoue-san."

"I know and I am truly sorry. I didn't mean for it to get out of hand. I only told Chizuru and I really didn't expect her to tell every single student."

"Fuck you. You better make sure that everyone know that the 'rumour' that you told was a lie! If I still hear it next week, even a whisper about it, I will strangle you!" Ichigo released his clutch and pushed his friend in disgust.

Keigo fell hard on his ass but he quickly got up. "A lie? You mean, you don't like Inoue-san?" He asked.

"Yes. Put it through you thick skull and brand it on your brain. I don't like Inoue-san _at all_. Do I make myself clear enough for you, idiot?"

Keigo's head bubbled up and downs repeatedly. "You mean, you like Kuchiki-san?" a knowing smile was on his face.

The strawberry blond blushed slightly. "Just make sure the rumor's gone by next week!" and with that, Ichigo stormed off, leaving his classmate.

* * *

After venting off his anger, the young man walked to his dad's office. It had become a routine for him. Everyday after school, he would visit Rukia; usually with Renji and then stayed at his dad's office to get information on Rukia's status. However today, Renji didn't join him. The pineapple head was still recovering from the reiatsu-consuming three days back. Apparently, people at his level needed almost a week to replenish their energy and reiatsu to the normal level.

As he got closer to the office, he heard that his dad got some company and they were talking about him. His ears caught them mentioning his name several times. Ichigo stepped nearer to the wooden door that separated him from those doctors inside. His hand was on the knob, ready to twist it. He already put on his weight on his right side making it easier to shove the door open. Then, he listened to the conversation inside.

"His reiatsu is very huge. It almost killed him when he was younger…"

Everything stopped that instant. He felt his blood rushing to his brain, pounding the organ severely. He got reiatsu? That was impossible! However, he did hear correctly that Urahaha-sensei said his name once or twice, right? He placed his ear on the door and listened carefully.

"If I unleashed his reaitsu, it would endanger not only himself but everyone around him. His reiatsu is too powerful."

"And it can save Rukia's life." Urahara-sensei muttered loud enough for Ichigo's organ of hearing.

He could save Rukia! He got the power for it! There was hope for Rukia and he wouldn't ever give up that chance.

The young man twisted the knob and shoved the door with all his might.

"Pop, undo this thing that suppressing my reiatsu! I don't care if it would kill me!" he said.

All three pairs of eyes widened.

"But son, it's dangerous!"

"I don't care! I want to save Rukia and if that's what it takes, just do it!" the orange haired teenager almost growled.

"Rukia won't like it... Endangering yourself because of her."

"I'm the reason she's in that ward! I should've been a better friend to her!"

Isshin looked at Urahara and Unohana-sensei before back to Ichigo. He had never seen Ichigo acted like that. That son was his was going rampage. He only saw it once when Masaki died and the doctors wanted to take the body away. The young Ichigo was kicking and punching him, commanding him to bring Masaki back. Isshin finally made a conclusion; Rukia really had a huge impact on his son's life. A small smile blossomed on face.

"Alright. But that's going to risk your life greatly."

"I don't care. As long as I can help to save Rukia," Ichigo retorted.

"You may die in the process if you couldn't control your power," Isshin put his hands on his son's shoulder.

"Just do it pop. I want, and will do anything to save Rukia. Even if it cost my life!"

Isshin nodded reluctantly. "Anything for Rukia, huh." He said under his breath as he walked towards his son; his right hand glowing a shade of deep red.

* * *

A/N: Finally got a chance to update! This chapter was finished like two weeks back but I was so busy with studying and assignments. Don't forget to review. Review makes me happy and happiness makes me update faster. XD. Thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

**A Curse to Kill **

In less than a fraction of a second, Isshin grabbed Ichigo's shoulder and shoved his glowing red hand right into the center of the gravity of his teenage son. Kurosaki Ichigo doubled over. He never knew that his sometimes-deranged-and-never-serious father could pack that much power in a single punch. It hurt. A LOT!

His right hand went over his midsection, protecting it from further injury that his father would cause him. "What the hell was-" his voice suddenly became shallower. There was some weird burning sensation on his stomach where his dad had punched him. It crawled across his midsection and up to his chest.

"What's-" He clutched his heart, the burning seemed to multiply by hundred times there before it moved throughout his entire body. "Dad" he grunted before he lost consciousness. The sudden burn was too much for his body to bear.

Kurosaki Isshin swiftly caught his son's body. He knew that the body would require sometime to adjust with a suden surge of power. Ichigo would be sleeping for a whole day or two until his system finally accepted the foreign gift. Until then, Isshin would need to keep an eye on his son. Anything bad could happen after the reiastu being concealled almost thirteen years. His body could react negatively towards it and there was only one thing that scared Isshin; the power was too strong for his body to handle and it would kill his only son.

Urahara Kisuke came to his friend. Being Isshin longest and closest friend, he knew about Ichigo-kun's condition. He was there when Kuchiki Hikaru helped to shut Ichigo's fair haired guy took one of Ichigo's arm and put it across his shoulder.

"Is he okay?" Unohana questioned. She was still stunned with the news of Kurosaki Ichigo having reiastu and with Isshin's action of releasing the spiritual power after the boy burst into the room, she was baffled. She never knew that someone could compressed such a huge reiatsu for a long time.

The moment Isshin unlocked Ichigo's reiatsu reservoir with that red reiatsu, Unohana-sensei was almost choked. She felt the sudden increase in pressure; it was like triple the atmospheric pressure. She thought that a dozen of airplanes suddenly dropped down on her chest. She had difficulties in breathing that moment. There was only one thing that could describe Ichigo's reiatsu; the amount was monstrous. He could easily extract that poison in Kuchiki Rukia's body without much, or maybe none, help from others.

"Don't worry, Unohana-san. He's okay. His body needs to readjust with his enormous power. He will wake up when the reiatsu is accepted by the system, which we estimated will be around a week or so." Isshin explained as he and Urahara put Ichigo's comatosed body on a bed inside the office.

"We need to keep an eye on him. No one knew how this whole reiatsu compressing-releasing is going to react after all these years. I never thought that I would have to unleash his reiatsu this quick."

"Let's hope everything will be fine with Ichigo-kun. Rukia really needs help and we already knew that our power alone is quite useless," said the long haired doctor.

None of them said anything. They stayed there in pin drop silence as they observed the young man in the deepest sleep he had ever encountered in his whole life. Ichigo was Rukia only hope now.

* * *

He flipped through a file. So this was the boy that they said could help his sister. Kurosaki Ichigo, the boy that Rukia had been friend with since they were little, if he remembered it correctly. Kuchiki Byakuya wasn't particularly fond of him. The carrot top boy was too loud and reckless for his liking. He was a bit rude also. The eldest heir of Kuchiki family just, how do you say it, loathed that boy even though he never really interact with him personally. He only observed.

When they said that the Kurosaki Ichigo could help her, he didn't believe it. Not even a bit of it. The reason were mainly he never detect reiatsu in the boy. Secondly, he didn't trust him and the next one was he just plainly hate him. Byakuya knew something had happened between Kurosaki Isshin's only son and Rukia. The captain of the sixth division could read it on his sister's face. It was written all over it but he never asked her. It was her own problem and Byakuya didn't want to interfere with it if she wasn't prepare to share anything with him. Rukia being secretive wasn't something new to Byakuya. His little sister was always like that.

Kuchiki Byakuya massaged his tired eyes. He was tired to the bone. After Rukia's last treatment, he barely got enough rest to replenish his energy and reiatsu, busying himself with her unstable conditions. The prognosis wasn't good but there was still hope. Even just a tiny bit of it. Her health was showing a good outcome after the treatment even though the poison was still in her body. Rukia was going to be okay. He sure about that.

He leaned back on his sturdy and yet comfortable chair, thinking about grabbing a short nap for while. His brain was pretty much fried at the moment and his body was sore. Just before he could doze off into the dream world in his tranquil office, his phone shrieked.

His eyes shot open as adrenaline suddenly surged in his system. That particular ringtone was assigned for a certain number and now, it wasn't supposed to ring as the owner was on duty, except for...

"Hello?"

"Byakuya-san, it's Rukia! Her health's declining!"

* * *

A/N: It's really short, I know. Sorry. But currently I'm having bad writer's block and school has been hectic. But don't worry! I'll try my best for all my beloved readers and reviewers!


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry for the late update! Enjoy!**

* * *

**A Curse to Kill**

Two choices and only one that she must choose. Both were what she wanted and yet they had their own cons. She hated that. Why should she be the one to determine her own fate now? Won't it be way much better and easier if her future was already laid out in front of her eyes? Why, so suddenly she had to choose between these two? As long as she could remember, her life had been quite easy. Everything had already in place. She only had to accept, which for her was hundred and ten percent easier.

Sigh.

There were only two choices that were offered to her and only one that she could choose. The choices were either she wanted to stay with her brother, continuing her life in the living world; or move forward, live another new life with her parents, crossing the threshold that divided the living and the afterlife, die in the living world. It was entirely up to her to choose but it wasn't easy for her.

She took a pebble and weight it in her pale hand. Decision to be made was just like this pebble. If it were the right one, it would skip on the lake surface in front of her when she threw it. But if it weren't, it would just sink.

If she chose to go and live with her parents, she would be very delighted. She missed them so very much. It had been a really long time since she last saw them and her memories of them were fading. Their faces were more like a haze like the faded photo of them in her room. She wanted to be with them more than anything. Her time with them were too short for her to have any great, vivid memories. She was too small when they were taken away all too abruptly. She missed them terribly much and yes, she would give anything to have just few more hours with them.

But then...

Nii-sama would be very devastated if she decided to move forward and cross the line. If she died, it would kill him easily. She was his one and only living closest blood-relative he had left. It took the handsome young man quite a long time to recover from the death of their parents and her sickness. He felt that because of his incompetence that he couldn't cure his baby sister and she was suffering all her life. That was why Rukia tried to live her life the best she could. She didn't want him to suffer, blaming himself for things that he couldn't control.

She had been contemplating to choose one. Her parents versus Nii-sama. She hated this. Why could they made the choice for her? 'They' being those high-ups, those that had the power to give and take her life; a god, if you would. Why couldn't God just picked one for her? Wouldn't it be better for her to just wake up either back in her room or maybe, beside her parents? If God did that, it would be a thousand times better and easier for her.

But life wasn't easy. Decisions need to be made and they weren't always the best ones. Now, she had to make one and surely, this time, it had to be the best thing she would decide on. She took a deep breath.

Think, Rukia, think!

Choosing nii-sama, to continue on living. That would be a great. She could see her brother marrying Hisana-nee. She was waiting for that wedding since she knew her brother started to date that young doctor. Then, when they had cute babies, she would be the most awesome auntie in the whole world. Oh, she would drown her nieces and nephews in a sea of Chappy the Rabbit.

A huge grin blossomed on her face. She couldn't wait for it. Playing with Nii-sama super cute, future kids would be one of the great reasons to continue on living. Happiness was waiting for her with the people that she loved, nii-sama, Hisana-nee, her one and only idiotic male cousin, Renji and last but not least, her future nieces and nephews. Life's gonna be awesome, she thought. Maybe, she would find the right one for her, got married and had kids of her own. Her vision of the future made her smile grew bigger. Now, there were a lot of good reason to stay alive.

Suddenly, a flash of a face that she knew all too well emerged in her head. That face destroyed the big smile on her face. Just like that, her wish to stay alive, disappeared. In a blink of an eye, she didn't want to go back to be alive. She wanted to run away, as far as possible from that one particular person. A young man that she thought was her best friend, someone that she used to trust with her whole heart. Someone that stole her heart without him knowing and had stomped on it. He also killed their friendship because of something that she was falsely accused of.

Her heart ached badly. If it were only because of her heart, it was okay. But he severed their friendship bond just like that and didn't bother to listen to her. Whatever he told her about him liking Inoue-san, she never speak a word of it, not even to Chappy the Rabbit. Yes, she told that stuffed toy a lot of thing, almost about everything that happened in her life. But not about Ichigo's feeling. She kept her word and looked what it got her to.

Kurosaki Ichigo, the reason she didn't want to be alive. He had destroyed her from inside.

Damn it.

Her brain went into overdrive, rethink and rejudging the options she had. Among all the pros and cons, she could guarantee that she didn't want to be close with Ichigo. Heck, she didn't even want to see his face or his name. She lost her trusts for him...

This was it. Her brain, and heart, finally wrapped around one conclusion. Hopefully, this decision that she would take would be the best. She got on her feet. Please, let this be the best thing she chose. She threw the pebble in her hand. It skipped a couple of times before it sunk into the crystal clear water. Then, she walked away from the lake and to the blinding bright door.

Right before she crossed the threshold, she whispered.

'Goodbye Ichigo.'

"RUKIA!" He shouted but the only sound he heard was nothing. It was pin drop silence. He couldn't even hear his own breathing or the beating of his own heart. It was too quiet. The silence was impossible. There was not even a slight vibration in the air. Ichigo tried again. He shouted her name again and again and as loud as he possibly could.

"Please! Rukia, just turn around!" Ichigo shouted again, but the sound of his voice was stuck in his throat. She needed to turn around, to see him there just a couple of meters behind her. His hands were stretched out as far as he could, trying to touch her. He tried so veryhard but everything was useless.

"Rukia!"

She was slipping away and he could do nothing. He knew if she crossed over, he would lost her forever. He saw she got up, threw a pebble and then walked towards the blinding light.

"No, Rukia!"

She stepped into light and he heard her voice. But... her voice saying goodbye to him was not what he wanted to hear. He had promised himself that he wouldn't let Rukia die. He didn't want her to die. She was too important to him. He just realised that, and he knew he might be too late. But still, he wanted to save her. He wanted her to be with him. He needed Kuchiki Rukia and he would do anything to save her. Disregarding what he was feeling right now, no matter how strong the feeling for her was, it was weak. He was weak. He couldn't even call her to turn around.

In matter of seconds, the figure of Kuchiki Rukia was engulfed by the light and she was gone. He couldn't see her any longer. Kuchiki Rukia had crossed the border, leaving him all alone in this darken place.

Kuchiki Rukia was gone.

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**A/N**: I know it's short. Please review guys! I will try to update as frequent as possible within this short holiday. Thanks for reading!


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